The Cradle of Ashes

By: S. M. Draven

Narrated by: Scott Cuthbertson

In the gaslit shadows of a plague-ridden city, where opulence masks decay, Olivia Sinclair—a disgraced historian—finds herself inexorably drawn back into darkness following the mysterious death of her estranged mentor, a renowned occultist. His body is discovered in his crumbling manor, grotesquely arranged within an unsettling alchemical diagram. Among the remnants of his life lies a cryptic journal entry that whispers of an ancient horror: "The Cradle stirs. The blood of the first-born must still the hunger."

As Olivia delves deeper into her mentor's secrets, she unravels a conspiracy entwined with the city's ruling council, who worship an ominous deity known as "The Ashen Mother." This entity is no mere myth; it is a dormant cosmic terror whose awakening threatens to unleash a life-draining plague upon the populace.

With time slipping away like sand through fingers, Olivia must navigate treacherous alliances with Noah Hamilton—a cynical grave-robber possessing uncanny insights into the supernatural—and Adaline Gray—a fervent zealot from a rival sect determined to eradicate heresy. Tensions mount as they grapple with conflicting motivations; Adaline insists on gathering more information while Noah questions whether they should even attempt to confront what may be beyond their control.

As they sift through dark rituals long forgotten by sanity itself, Olivia discovers that she unwittingly shares lineage with the city's founders, making her pivotal in either appeasing or banishing

©2026 S. M. Draven (P)2026 S.M. Draven